There were two points in my life where I said no instead of yes and, with deepening hindsight should really have done the opposite. Once to Jane Grundy, and once to the Mighty Lemon Drops.

The former was way out of my league and on the last day in my first job told me she was very sad that I was leaving and could she give me a lift home - to her place. The day after, I was going on holiday with my then partner, so while every fibre of my body was screaming 'YES', what came out of my mouth was a 'no'. We barely spoke again afterwards and the woman I was with turned out to be a raging lunatic who cost me my house.

The Mighty Lemon Drops were a half decent indie band in the late 80's. Their manager called me at work an said: "We saw your band play with 'Motorcycle Boy' and really like the way you play: our bass player has left and we think you'd fit the bill, can you come to London and do a week of rehearsals with us." I'd just landed a really good job in advertising and the band I was in were doing pretty well at the time, so I said no and recommended a mate who was looking for a full time move into music.

He said yes. Six months later, the Lemon Drops went on to support U2 in the states, he went on to play bass with Julian Cope on TOTP and toured with David Bowie.

It would've been a very different path.

These Lads Can Run for 80 Minutes - the infamous Hornets fanzine is back from the dead: and just as biased as ever! Match reports, previews and other stuff that comes into our heads at http://theseladscanr...ns.blogspot.com

Spent some time in the nick which was just punishment for doing something I truly regret.

I would have given more consideration to a young man called Billy Currie who approached me in the mid 70s asking me to join his band Tiger Lily. I refused because i thought they were a bit "soft" They went on to become Ultravox.

"Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice, socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality" - Mikhail Bakunin

I recall Mighty Lemon Drops. They were prominent around 86/7 and seemed to be in Sounds every week and one of those C86 type bands who were on the verge of being big but never quite made it through.
Very interesting story.

There were two points in my life where I said no instead of yes and, with deepening hindsight should really have done the opposite. Once to Jane Grundy, and once to the Mighty Lemon Drops.

The former was way out of my league and on the last day in my first job told me she was very sad that I was leaving and could she give me a lift home - to her place. The day after, I was going on holiday with my then partner, so while every fibre of my body was screaming 'YES', what came out of my mouth was a 'no'. We barely spoke again afterwards and the woman I was with turned out to be a raging lunatic who cost me my house.

The Mighty Lemon Drops were a half decent indie band in the late 80's. Their manager called me at work an said: "We saw your band play with 'Motorcycle Boy' and really like the way you play: our bass player has left and we think you'd fit the bill, can you come to London and do a week of rehearsals with us." I'd just landed a really good job in advertising and the band I was in were doing pretty well at the time, so I said no and recommended a mate who was looking for a full time move into music.

He said yes. Six months later, the Lemon Drops went on to support U2 in the states, he went on to play bass with Julian Cope on TOTP and toured with David Bowie.

It would've been a very different path.

I liked the Mighty Lemon Drops - a bit of an Echo & The Bunnymen type sound - no bad thing !

When I was a student, I had a six-month placement in Oxford. Some mates and I couldn't decide whether to go to:

- the Poly to watch the (then little known) Eaglesor - the pictures to watch the Decameron (rubbish Italian softcore porn film) ... this was cheaper as the entrance fee was lower and would involve no taxi-fares, leaving spare money for effectively "free" beer.

When I was a student, I had a six-month placement in Oxford. Some mates and I couldn't decide whether to go to:

- the Poly to watch the (then little known) Eaglesor- the pictures to watch the Decameron (rubbish Italian softcore porn film) ... this was cheaper as the entrance fee was lower and would involve no taxi-fares, leaving spare money for effectively "free" beer.

Being rugby players we opted for the porn film and skinful.

Wise choice.

"it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

Arriving at Lime Street station in Liverpool on leave from the Army, I always wished that a member of my family would be their to greet me. Alas, it wasn't to be and I must admit slight envy watching people get off the train to loads of hugs and handshakes. Career-wise, as one door closed another one opened so no real regrets. We cannot change the past, but it is interesting reading other posts of what might of been.

I think one of the earliest mistakes was after being offered a contract to sign for Leigh, I asked my Dad to look it over, and I would return it to them at training next Tuesday, on the Sunday I broke my ankle on my Brothers motorbike, on the way to watch Swinton v Bridgend and had contract offer withdrawn.

Too many missed shags, when single, too many extra-relationship shags when not.

I wish I had had a career change about 15 years ago

Too many beers.

Not enough holidays.

I wish i had never got this job in Hastings they are all a bunch of Cambridge University Netball Team Supporters

July 26 2012

I had an interview for a Medical Reps job back in, around 1993, and the interview was going well (It was for Cardiac Diagnostic equipment), until the interviewer started asking me questions about the anatomy of the heart - of which I was very sketchy- he was asking about the names of the layers of the heart wall, the various nerves & blood vessels that surround & supply the heart, & I was increasingly answering " I don't know, I don't know", and after about the tenth I don't know, I stood up, said, "F*** it, I don't want the job this badly", and walked out.The agency I was applying through rang me up and went ballistic at me, saying he was just about to offer me the job, a £40k salary, a £25k car, and a month in Switzerland every year to refresh my knowledge, all expenses paid.I just wish I had kept my gob shut and swallowed my pride.

Swinton RLFC est 1866 - Supplying England with players when most of your clubs were in nappies

I think one of the earliest mistakes was after being offered a contract to sign for Leigh, I asked my Dad to look it over, and I would return it to them at training next Tuesday, on the Sunday I broke my ankle on my Brothers motorbike, on the way to watch Swinton v Bridgend and had contract offer withdrawn.

Too many missed shags, when single, too many extra-relationship shags when not.

I wish I had had a career change about 15 years ago

Too many beers.

Not enough holidays.

I wish i had never got this job in Hastings they are all a bunch of Cambridge University Netball Team Supporters

July 26 2012

I had an interview for a Medical Reps job back in, around 1993, and the interview was going well (It was for Cardiac Diagnostic equipment), until the interviewer started asking me questions about the anatomy of the heart - of which I was very sketchy- he was asking about the names of the layers of the heart wall, the various nerves & blood vessels that surround & supply the heart, & I was increasingly answering " I don't know, I don't know", and after about the tenth I don't know, I stood up, said, "F*** it, I don't want the job this badly", and walked out.The agency I was applying through rang me up and went ballistic at me, saying he was just about to offer me the job, a £40k salary, a £25k car, and a month in Switzerland every year to refresh my knowledge, all expenses paid.I just wish I had kept my gob shut and swallowed my pride.

I would've thought being caught drink driving twice might have been up their with two things you regret from your past

It's interesting reading these. I can't say I have any big regrets. There are things I wish hadn't happened such as my brother dying at 17. I ahve always wondered if I could have done something or noticed something, but in reality I know there wasn't anything I could do,

One regret was not having my mum's name inscribed on our Brian's gravestone whilst she was alive. I can still picture the hurt on her face when visiting to tend to it. As previously mentioned, my dad made her pay for the gravestone but wouldn't put her name on. For years, It was left to my eldest brother who never did sort it out. That said, her name is now finally on the gravestone.

I wish i had never got this job in Hastings they are all a bunch of Cambridge University Netball Team Supporters

This would be the employers that stood by you despite your "issues" that can not be mentioned?In my view they would have been perfectly within their rights to terminate your employment immediately on the grounds of gross misconduct.Nice guy.